Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-09-07
Found in the Woods.

Hal and I were very dear friends.
He was 20 and ten years older. He
was the son of rich parents in New
York. and | WAS sort of guardian to
him, at least during our summer recre-
alton, having been appointed to act in
that capacity by his doting father, who
repOSed perfect confidence in my friend
ship.
Becoming tired of the seashore, Hal
got it into his head that it would be a
fiEe thing to make a pedestrian tour,
northTard, through the woods to Can
ada. Well, our journey up the Ken
nebec was very pleasant, but when we
had left the boat and the stages behlpd
us, and when we saw the last house
and began to camp out beneath the
trees, Hal grew homesick. The realI-
ties were not what he mad anticipated
Our provisions were all gone, and We
were in danger of literal starvation.
That day Hal had been vainly try
ing to secure some game for our din
ner He looked already ten years
older than when we started on our
Journey. Exposure and unaccustomed
e1ertion had told on him feaIfully.
There was hectic tint on his cheeks
and an unnatural look about his eyes.
what should hinder him from dying if
his strength should fail, if he should
| fall sIckp
These thoughts were passing through
my mind, when l caught the sound of
something stirring in the forest In.
stantly l grasped my ride, and sta
toned myself behind a clump of shrub
| berry. was 1t deer? Nervously
raised my rifle, and my finger was on
! the trigger, when Hal sprang to his
| feet, and knocked up the weapon, and
cried excitedly, Hist. look there"
| A light breeze at that moment had
partly blown aside the bushes in front,
disclosing young girl, perfect both iii
! form and feature, lying on the forest
| grass, under some overshad owing
| birches, sound asleep. She was dressed
| in simple white muslin.
A picture OF more bewildering love-
illness L had never seen. My rifle fell
to the ground. Halls noise in rising
and his exclamation awoke her. She
raised her head, looked around startled,
and then, seeing us, sprang to her feet
and turned as if to run.
1 stepped forward, lifting my cap,
"Pardon u.s." SAID, for alarming you,
but you have nothing to fear. We are
lost IN this forest. Can you guide us
out?''
She stopped at this, glanced from me
to Hal, and blushed rosily over face
and neck. "Lostr' she said. why,
it is only half mile to the road, and
my fathers house is not half that dis
lance. Lost. indeedl' with a gay little
laugh of incredulity; and she shook heI
head. 'sWhoever heard of such q thing
as getting lost in my fathers woods!
My father will be glad to receive you, u
she said, demurely, her eyes falling be
fore his. 81 will show you the way
You had better come now. for your
friend there looks sick"
Our fair conductor went tripping OF
before US and we soon reached the farm
house.
Before night Hal was in high fever
A physician was called, who looked
grave and said the case was doubtful
one, though youth and good nursiD:
might bring the patient round.
For a week Hal was delirious.
watched by his bedside night and day
Jennie, our little sleeping beauty" a
l called her, came and went, admins
tering to the needs of the sick man, il
a thoroughly womanly way, that ON
would have hardly looked for in one 81